WorldShare Management Services is an integrated suite of library management applications—from acquisitions and circulation, to metadata and license management, resource sharing and analytics—designed to simplify and streamline workflows, reduce costs and create new value for libraries and their users.

Rebecca Lubas, Director of Discovery, Acquisitions, and Consortial Services at the University of New Mexico, said WorldShare Management Services offers an environment that will make it possible for the library management system to grow along with the LIBROS consortium.

"Since WorldShare Management Services is cloud-based, the applications are continually enhanced by OCLC so we don't have to make system upgrades as we grow," said Ms. Lubas. "With that kind of flexibility, we hope this might be the last time we ever have to change library management systems."

Ms. Lubas said that WorldShare Management Services will help LIBROS focus on enhancing services rather than enhancing systems. She said the group is particularly interested in improving its resource sharing capability.

"LIBROS is the consortium that supports higher education libraries in New Mexico," said Ms. Lubas. "Our resource sharing process is not as smooth as we'd like it to be. Once we have a more flexible resource sharing capability, I think we will be able to provide more services to more libraries within the state."

WorldShare Management Services provide an integrated approach for library groups to share resources and innovation. The services can leverage the opportunities that come with shared data, infrastructure and community, and at the same time can preserve the autonomy, privacy and policy differences among members of a group.

"It was very important that our libraries retain some independence while we collaborate and share our system and resources," said Ms. Lubas. "We believe that WorldShare Management Services offered us the ability to do both."

LIBROS is currently working with OCLC staff in the implementation phase to move to WorldShare Management Services. The University of New Mexico is planning to go live with the services first, with the rest of LIBROS libraries to follow.

"We welcome LIBROS to the WorldShare community, and we look forward to working with each library to ensure a smooth transition to the cloud," said Mr. Pace.

More than 180 libraries on three continents—Australia, Europe and North America—are currently using OCLC WorldShare Management Services, which were released for general availability in July 2011. An additional 100 libraries have committed to using the new services.

About OCLC

Founded in 1967, OCLC is a nonprofit, membership, computer library service and research organization dedicated to the public purposes of furthering access to the world’s information and reducing library costs. More than 74,000 libraries in 170 countries have used OCLC services to locate, acquire, catalog, lend, preserve and manage library materials. Researchers, students, faculty, scholars, professional librarians and other information seekers use OCLC services to obtain bibliographic, abstract and full-text information when and where they need it. OCLC and its member libraries cooperatively produce and maintain WorldCat, the world’s largest online database for discovery of library resources. Search WorldCat.org on the Web. For more information, visit the OCLC website.

OCLC, OCLC WorldShare, WorldCat, WorldCat.org and WorldShare are trademarks and/or service marks of OCLC Online Computer Library Center, Inc. Third-party product, service and business names are trademarks and/or service marks of their respective owners.